4/23/17

The Daily Buzz For April 24

Kelly Rowland looks radiant in these pics she took for Australia’s Sunday Life Magazine. She talks about her time with Destiny’s Child.One of the three key members of the wildly successful late-'90s girl band Destiny's Child, it has taken Rowland – who still counts former bandmate Beyoncé as one of her closest friends – time to feel comfortable in her own skin. This road to self-acceptance has underpinned a flourishing solo career as a singer, actor, mentor and author, and made her determined to empower other women.

"Bey always says to be authentic," she explains after the shoot, when she's changed back into her Esprit hoodie, denim cut-offs and Stan Smith trainers. "Some people get it early – Solange [Knowles] got it sooo early, she always made up her own rules. I think with me it comes with age."

A 20-year veteran of the entertainment industry, Rowland can still recall the best piece of career advice she's ever received. "Outwork everybody," she says emphatically. "So many people want the same thing or have the same dream you do, and what separates you from everybody else is your work ethic. There's always room to work harder."

She has taken the advice to heart. Not only is she appearing as a judge on the new season of The Voice in Australia, she's also promoting the US girl band she helped form, June's Diary, has just published a baby manual, Whoa, Baby!, is launching her own make-up line and writing a new album.

She is equally driven when it comes to her appearance – she works with two trainers to maintain her incredibly toned figure and has perfected her own look to such an extent that she's largely doing her own make-up while she's here.

"I'm giving myself to so many different things and projects, and at the end of the day I'm exhausted," she says, bursting out laughing. "I'm exhausted because I want to be a great wife, and I want to be a great mother, but I want to be a great me to myself."

Hungry for conflict. Phaedra Parks and Kandi Burruss butt heads over Burruss' new business venture during the second part of The Real Housewives of Atlanta's season 9 reunion on Sunday, April 23, as seen in Us Weekly's exclusive sneak peek.

The Bravo unscripted series' preview clip shows Parks telling host Andy Cohen that it was "deplorable" for Mama Joyce to visit a lawyer earlier in the season in an effort to find out if Parks is legally able to divorce Apollo Nida while he's in prison.

"I'm like, Why are you so concerned with what's going on in my life?" Parks, 43, asks Burruss, 40. "It's been so many things that her mom has said and done."

Parks adds that Joyce could instead be looking into why Burruss and Todd Tucker's Atlanta restaurant, Old Lady Gang, has yet to open. "Your restaurant that's not open — she could be working on that," Parks says.

Burruss fires back, "Um, we are opening this week, sweetheart." (Old Lady Gang indeed opened its doors last month.) The Xscape singer then claims that Parks has been contacting public officials to make it difficult for the eatery to launch. "Please [be aware] I know you already be trying to do your calling and trying to figure what we're doing, and so you can hate on us to people that you know down at the city," Burruss says. "Obviously, she's talked to somebody to try to do stuff, to have them come at me about bulls--t."

The Washington D.C. native spent every summer in Scotland Neck and also regularly gets back to visit her aunt and uncle who live in Raleigh.

“I was here just there last weekend celebrating my grandmother’s 93rd birthday,” Henson said, following her keynote address at Women’s Empowerment at PNC Arena on Saturday.

Henson said she flies under the radar during her visits.

“I dress like the Unabomber,” Henson said.

Henson also has another North Carolina connection. She briefly attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College to study electrical engineering. “I auditioned for the School for the Performing Arts in D.C. and I didn’t get accepted, so I thought I couldn’t act,” Henson said. “So I did what a girlfriend of mine, who was mathematically and scientifically inclined, did and I followed behind her.”

Despite trying her best and having tutors, Henson said she still failed. “I knew deep down that wasn’t what I wanted to do, I just wanted to do something with my life because my mom would kill me,” Henson said. “I had go to college.”

Henson ended up going home to D.C. and studying drama at Howard University.

For anyone trying to achieve something in life, Henson said the key is to never give up.

“You have to go for it. You only get one life. Why second guess yourself,” she said, noting that all you need is a little faith. “Whisper it to yourself every day, say it out loud, ‘I can do this.’”

Empire returns to Fox Wednesday with new episodes, so expect more of Cookie’s famous one-liners.

“Most of the saying come from my real life,” Henson said. “Sometimes the writers will come up with something clever, but a lot of the time it is me.”

Henson takes credit for the nickname “Boo Boo Kitty” and the “hair smelling like a goat’s (butt)” lines.

“I got another zinger coming for you stay tuned,” Henson teased.

She even surprises herself in some of the scenes. “It’s like I’m in the moment and it flies out of my mouth,” Henson said.

And for fans concerned Henson might leave the popular show to expand her film career, Cookie isn’t going anywhere.

Faith Evans returns to Brooklyn to celebrate her late husband, The Notorious B.I.G. in the visuals for her new single “Legacy,” off the anticipated duet album The King & I.

The video–directed by Rock Davis and Jay Rodriguez–finds Faith reminiscing on memories of Biggie, with some assistance from friends like Lil’ Cease and Maino, along with vintage footage of BIG

“I knew, I knew from the very first moment / That you were a king, fit just for a queen / I could tell from day one, you were for me / Knew that this love would be the legacy,” she sings.

Faith revealed why “Legacy” was such an important single to release. “If there were a title track for The King & I, it would be ‘Legacy,’” she said. “This song absolutely sums up the theme of the album.”

“Legacy” follows The King & I singles “Ten Wife Commandments,” “When We Party” with Snoop Dogg, and “NYC” featuring Jadakiss.

Due May 19, The King & I also features appearances from Lil’ Kim, 112, Busta Rhymes, Cease, and more. Check out the “Legacy” video HERE

All hail the queen. Nicki Minaj holds court with her royal family, Drake and Lil Wayne, in the majestic video for “No Frauds.”

Directed by Benny Boom, the fashionable clip is a trip across the pond. Featuring scenes shot in London and in the U.S., the video also showcases Young Money’s reunited and renewed energy as “The Big Three.”

Decked out in Alexander McQueen, Philipp Plein, and Charbel Zoe, “No Frauds” finds DeGeneres Queen ruling her kingdom. Whether sitting on her throne or in front of Big Ben, throwing shots next to Drizzy, or on a throne next to Weezy, Minaj makes her royal statement clear.

While she sits pretty, Nicki is not afraid to throw vicious shots at rival Remy Ma. This is especially true when Reminisce’s former friend Rashida “Rah” Ali shows up for a cameo as Nicki raps: “Rah took you to her doc, but you don’t look like Rah / Left the operating table, still look like nah.”

WATCH HERE:

Prior to releasing the visual, Nicki called it “iconic” and described the vibes on the set as “fun, free…euphoric” and “nostalgic” in large part due to her collaborators. “So good shooting w/my babies again,” she tweeted. “Missed them a lot. Young Money.”

Nicki also promised her fans that “No Frauds” would supersede any of her past visuals. “It’s definitely the best video I’ve ever released,” she said.

The trailer also features flashback interviews with Chris, in which he talks about his future. “I want to be at the pinnacle, the highest point, to where I’m known as a legend, almost,” he says in a throwback Q&A.

News of the documentary arrives while Brown is entangled in an ongoing legal battle with his ex Karrueche Tran, who filed a restraining order against him after claiming that he punched her and shoved her down a flight of stairs. On Wednesday (Apr. 19), Brown’s lawyer said Tran’s case was “doomed to failure.”

Before hitting theaters, Brown is continuing his “Party Tour.” Joined by Fabolous, Kap G, and O.T. Genasis, the trek is set to run through May 23 in Los Angeles.

Erin Moran, who is best known for her role as Joanie Cunningham on Happy Days, has died, TMZ reports. She was 56-years-old.

Erin rose to stardom playing Ron Howard‘s younger sister on the hit 1970s comedy before continuing the role alongside Scott Baio in the show Joanie Loves Chachi.

After her hit shows ended, Erin struggled with drinking causing her to run out of money and end up at a trailer park before her husband Scott Fleishmann kicked her out.

No word yet on how Erin passed away. Our thoughts go out to Erin Moran‘s loved ones during this difficult time.

Charlie Murphy Is Laid To Rest In NYC and his colleagues all attended!

On Wednesday evening, iconic comedian Charlie Murphy was laid to rest in NYC. And several of his celebrity friends joined his family to say their last goodbyes. The 57-year-old comedian passed away last week (April 12th) after a battle with leukemia.

Several of your fave comedians stepped out to pay respect to the man who kept us laughing for decades. Dave Chappelle, Donnell Rawlings, Eddie Griffin, George Lopez, Cedric The Entertainer, DL Hugley and Neal Brennan were amongst the celebrity guests.

Cedric The Entertainer shared a group shot from the service and captioned, "Tonite we joined Family n Friends to pay tribute and lay to rest our brother the Legendary #charliemurphy @neilbrennan @realdlhughley @georgelopez @eddiegriffin @donnellrawlings @davechapelle S/o @jaypharoah @affioncrockett #Capone #terryhodges #garfield”

DL and George hit up a tattoo shop to get permanent tributes to their friend. They popped up at the Fun City Tattoo shop in NYC and copped “Darkness” tats, Charlie’s nickname, on their hands.

RIP Charlie Murphy! h/t theYBF

Live Nation re-enters new deal with Jay Z’s RocNation

Live Nation have decided to enter into a new contract with Jay Z’s RocNation!

From Billboard Magazine: "Live Nation has a new long term deal with Jay Z and we expect to continue being equity partners in Roc Nation for many years to come," the spokesperson told Billboard in a statement.

While terms of the new deal were not disclosed, the new agreement does not appear to be an extension of the current 360 arrangement, and instead mostly covers his touring business.

Jay Z and Live Nation will continue to operate Roc Nation’s management and recorded music business as a joint venture. Live Nation has let many of its 360 recorded-music deals sunset and has largely gotten out of the recorded music business, although through its various joint ventures it does retain some label holdings.

Hailee Steinfeld Meets Up With Usher at JDRF Imagine Gala 2017

Hailee Steinfeld and Usher pose for a photo while inside at the 2017 JDRF Imagine Gala held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif.

The two singers were joined at the event to benefit type 1 diabetes research by Andra Day, Kaia Gerber, Brec Bassinger, and Jillian Rose Reed.

Hailee and Andra both took to the stage that evening for special performances. But lets focus on Usher with the Puppy!

The day before, Hailee‘s new music video for “At My Best” with Machine Gun Kelly premiered. Be sure to check it out if you haven’t already!

Kylie And Khloe Chased Off By Fur Protest Chants ...

(via TMZ) Kylie Jenner and Sister Khloe felt the heat from animal rights protesters, and got the hell out ... cutting short a photo op in Vegas amid chants that she has the blood of innocent animals on her hands.

Kylie was attending the grand opening of Sugar Factory Saturday night, where she paused for photos on the red carpet ... before being bum-rushed by the protesters.

Sounds like their specific beef is with Kylie wearing fur -- which she was not doing at the event, but has in the past. Protesters were loud, but never got physical with Kylie ... unlike those who nailed her sister, Kim, years ago.

Some of Kylie's furs have been advertised as fake in the past, but that clearly doesn't matter to the activists here. Faux or not ... they don't appreciate her flaunting fur.